Animal-trap



(No Model.)

B. T. OTOS.

ANIMAL-TRAP. l No. 311,778. VPatnted Feb. 3, 1885.

l l v y,

f E 4 if wmNEss-:sp fr INVBNTOR.

la J @o @Mm l1 .am/.3W 1 l l ATTORNEYS.

irn Srarns arena* rricn.

BERTEN T. OTOS, OF VILLMAR, MINNESOTA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,778, dated February 3, .1885.

. Application iilcd Jul)` i, 1884. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it 711,6,1/ concern.-

Beit known that I, BERTEN T. O'ros, a eiti zen of the United States, residing at Villmar, in the county of Kandiyohi and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description ot' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying` drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereomwhich form apart of this specitcation.

My invention relates to an improvement in animal-traps; and it consists in certain de tails of construction and operation to be de-N scribed hereinafter in the specification and claims.

The object ot' my said invention is to provide a trap which may be made ot' size suitable for mice, rats, and small birds or animals, but which by increasing the size is equally adapted to catching large birds or animals; and I do not desire to limit myself as to the size or dimensions of mytraps. They may be varied to suit the ends in view.

Another object is to provide a trap which may be approached by the animal either from the front or side, and sprung by touching the bait or by stepping on any part ofthe exposed suri'ace ot' the bottom board.

In the drawings herewith, Figure his a vertical section showing the trap when set, and Fig. 2 represents the trap when sprung. Fig. 3 is a detail view.

My trap consists of an inclined metallic or wooden back piece, A, and a nearlywertical front piece, A. These pieces meet at the top and diverge at the bottoni,wlie1e the piece A rests on the ground, and are held in place by the sides B and the frame C and corner-pieces H. Vithin the space formed by the parts A A B H and hidden from view are the parts by whichthe trap is actuated. At the bottom, resting on the ground, and rigidly connected with the back A and sides B, is a frame, G, of strap-iron er steel, forming the lower ja-w. This is bent in the shape of a rectangle, having its front corners rounded, and having a shaft, c, journaled therein, on which the bottom D is hung so that the bottom can rock or tilton the shaft.v At the rear end of the bottom D a rod, E, is attached, andthe upper end ot' the rod passes through an opening in the top of the back A. By leaving the front and sides ot" the bottom open to approach. it it will make no difference whether an animal comes from the front or sides, as the pivotshaft cis so near the rearend of the bottom thata great amount ot' leverage is obtained in front, and a touch on the exposed surface of the bottom will spring the trap; nofr is it necessary that the animal should be attracted by the bait, for it' the trap is placed in the path of an animal, it will be sprung by its stepping on it. which live in or frequent the water by sinking it in their haunts. A chain will be attached in such case, as also in the case of very large animals on land. Attached to the back piece, A,and frame i are corner-pieces H, of sheetiron or other suitable material, which nearly close up the open space in the side pieces, leaving a narrow opening in which a rod, d, rises and falls. Through openings in the corner-pieces pass and are secured the ends ot a rod, F, on which the jaw G is pivo'ted. This jaw is a metallic strap, shaped like the frame C, and large enough to pass over it in its descent when the trap is sprung. Through openings in G passes another rod, d, which moves in thenarrow opening between the sides B and corners H when the jaw G rises and ialls. Spiral springs S are twisted round the rod F,and their ends are bent into armsf, which hook over the rod d near its ends and press the jaw G down upon and over the frame orlower jaw, C, when the hook is released. Both thejawGand the frame or lower j aw, C, are provided with serrated edges,or they may be made plain. At the top ot` the back VA,directly in rear ot the opening for rod E, is a short holding-pin, I, rising slightly above the back A, on which the hook J ot the upper jaw catches when the trap is set. The bottom D is shaped like the frame C, and its front portion moves up and down therein on its shal't c, which is attached to said bottom by eycbolts or staples, and it has near its center a spike or catch, to which the bait is attached. Vhen thcbot'tom is raised on its It may' be used l'or trapping animals pivot rod or shaft, the end of the rod E sinks below the top of back A; but when the bottom is depressed, the rod E rises and lifts the hook .J offof the holding-pin I, releasing the upper 5 jaw, and the springs force it down over the lower jaw or frame.

To set the trap, lift the upper jaw until the hook thereon engages with the pin I. The hook willforee the rod E down and lift the 1o frontend of thebottom D,and when the slightest pressure is applied to the bottom the rod E will rise and release the hook, and the trap will be sprung.

Having thus described my invention, what r 5 I claim therein as new, and desire to have secured by Letters Patent, is-V 1. An animal-trap Constructed as described, having a base forming a fixedjaw, C, and a movable jaw, G, v in combination with the 2o spring S, the pivoted movable bottom D, the rod E, the hook J, andthe pin I, all as herein set forth.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination of the frame A AB H with the flxedjaw C, the movable jaw G, pivoted on the rod F, with 25 suitable devices for holding the movable jaw when the trap is set, the pivoted bottom D, the rods E d, and the springs S, all substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, in an animal-trap, of 3o thejawsG and G, one fixed, the other movable, with the pivoted bottom D, the springs S, the rod E, the hook J, the holding-piu I, and the frame A A B H, all substantially as shown, and for the purposes specified. 35

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

BERTEN fr. oros.

Vtnesses: y

J. W. LANDQUIST, PETER P. LANDIN. 

